The artwork that first introduced Star Wars to the public has sold for $3.875m (£3.05m) at an auction in the United States, setting a new record for movie poster art.
The acrylic and airbrush painting was created by American illustrator Tom Jung and first appeared in US newspapers on 13 May 1977, just days before George Lucas’s sci-fi epic reached cinemas.
The image later became one of the franchise’s most recognisable promotional posters.
A historic first glimpse of a new galaxy
Charles Epting, director of pop culture and historical consignments at Heritage Auctions, said the artwork marked a turning point in movie marketing.
“For most of America, this was the first time they got a glimpse of the galaxy far, far away,” he said.
Jung’s painting was used in newspaper adverts, billboards, magazines and theatre programmes as excitement built around the film’s release.
It showed Luke Skywalker holding up a lightsaber beside Princess Leia, with Darth Vader towering behind them. X-wing fighters launch an attack on one side, while Luke and Han Solo receive medals on the other.
The droids R2-D2 and C-3PO were added later, and did not appear in the earliest versions of the image.
From producer’s office wall to multimillion-dollar sale
The painting was originally kept by Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz, who hung it in his office for years before passing it on to his daughter.
The family later decided to sell it at Heritage Auctions’ headquarters in Dallas, where bidding opened at $1m.
The final sale price broke the previous franchise record set by Darth Vader’s lightsaber, which sold for $3.6m.
Epting said the buyer, who placed his winning bid online, has chosen to remain anonymous.
A piece of film history
The auction house described the artwork as both a rare collectible and an important cultural artefact. Star Wars has grown into one of the world’s most successful film franchises since its 1977 release, starring Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker.
The series has since expanded into sequels, prequels, spin-off films, books and television shows.
Epting said the emotional connection fans have with the franchise helped drive the price of the painting.
“Anyone who’s seen these movies or the marketing materials around it — you see this piece, your heart starts racing,” he said.